A bike for a bunch pedals into city; company offers unique way to see sights

A bike for a bunch has pedaled into Stillwater to give residents and visitors a unique way to experience the downtown area.

The bike’s owner, Pat Wolf, grew up in Stillwater and has been a part of the community her entire life. She recently started BierCycle Adventures after keeping the idea on the back burner for a while.

“It was an idea I came up with in 2007 and I put it in the back of mind. It was an interesting concept as I was looking for unique attractions to add to Stillwater,” Wolf said. “My sister and I are planning on re-opening great grandpa Joseph Wolf’s brewery in the next few months and I thought that having the restaurant brand and having a bike seemed like a good way to provide cross-branding.”

Wolf hopes her new bicycle appeals to both locals and visitors and becomes a must-do experience in Stillwater. The bike seats 10 pedalers and 3 non-pedalers and serves beer during the ride. The bike can be rented for special events. There are also public historical tours given of downtown Stillwater.

“A person has written a script for our use,” said Lisa McKasy, the manager of BierCycle Adventures. “Even the townspeople are learning tidbits about the city they didn’t know.”

Wolf said she and her staff are working to create collaborative tours with local businesses. Their ideas have included morning cardio classes and progressive dinners with local restaurants. Winter bike use, depending on the snow, is also being considered. Typically the bikes —similar to the Pedal Pub in Minneapolis — are used for pub crawls and Wolf’s said her bike can be used for this as well.

“We’re open to being more creative than it lends itself to being. And with this, the sky’s the limit,” Wolf said.

There were several reasons that Wolf decided now was a good time to start her business. With the new Brown’s Creek Trail going in and the new St. Croix River bridge being built, Wolf feels that Stillwater is going to become more bike-centric and believed her company would be a good fit for the area. Wolf currently has one bike but she’s hopes business will be good enough to purchase a new bike in the future.

McKasy says taking out the BierCycle is a great time, even for staff.

“I like just watching people laugh and have a great time,” she said. “I’ve been both the tour guide and the driver and it’s great to see that everyone who rides it is so excited about it. It’s a real novelty and it’s just so different than what we’re used to.”

Take a Ride

Public tours begin on the East Side of Water Street next to the pedestrian walkway. Tours are 35 minutes and offered from 2-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Rides cost $12 for adults, $10 for kids and are free for children ages 5 and younger.

The bike can be rented for special occasions any time that a public tour is not offered. The cost of a one-hour minimum private rental on peak days from Friday to Sunday is $195 per hour. The cost on non-peak days is $165 per hour. To rent a bike, call 651-300-2202.